Here we are again it’s Friday and Bi-weekly time again. Where does the time go – it’s unbelievable how the weeks are flying past all things considered. It’s a really hectic time of the year at the Society so what follows is a bit of a round up of what has gone on and what’s going on in the next period.

CEO report

• Keeping up to speed with the situation in the office and manning it at a bit higher level is getting much higher on the agenda. I am looking at this in conjunction with our HR advisor and the guidance from our Health and safety advisor and hope to increase staff in the office very soon
• This will undoubtedly help us keep up to speed with everything that we need to and just the facility of asking someone over the desk about something will help greatly
• Registrations are way behind already this year and Fiona and Caroline have both taken time out from phone and E mail this week to get caught up a bit
• This will hopefully cut down the amount of phone calls that we are receiving about registrations DNA and the like to a manageable level as now we are doing nothing other than answering phones
• The strengthening of the team in Registration with Emily will help this too and we just need the space to train her up on various parts of the system, this week she has been very ably getting to grips with Social Media and managing the web site!
• Thanks to Laura Stewart for sorting out her induction process and all the rest of the team helping and making Emily very welcome to Pedigree House
• The past week has been dominated greatly with two subjects that need our attention to help protect you our members from decisions that are taken by outside bodies that affect what we do
• There has been a revision on the rules that Govern the CHeCs heath scheme monitoring of Johne’s that we are assessing the impact of, discussing and making sure that our breed Society views are lodged
• There is a huge lobbying effort on the GB/NI trade rules at the moment too that is stealing my time , bringing in Re Tagging, Show license for show and sale animals which I am involved in representing the cause at local, governmental and European level to strongly put the case against the rules as they stand
• We have had a Sale! Stirling May sale saw a good clearance rate and higher than last year’s average which was up on the year before too! Nice to see a little more normal a sale but the crowd and atmosphere was still sadly missing. For the full report follow this link. Aberdeen Angus Sale of Pedigree Breeding bulls

• A good positive feel from buyers and sellers alike about the sale, sales in general from home also seeing good demand which speaks volumes for the breed and its position in the marketplace
• Next Friday sees the next sale on the Calendar and rules in England being virtually totally relaxed we can have a Show as well adding to the action at Border way mart. Emily and I will be at the sale on Saturday 22^nd and we hope to see as many of you as we can there
• The schedule is as follows:

ABERDEEN ANGUS                 105 = 86 bulls & 19 females               LOTS 1 – 105

Thursday 20^th May – Arrival of Stock            11am – 5pm

Friday 21^st May – Arrival of Stock                      7am – 9am

Inspection                                                         9am – 11.30am

Show and Judging                                           from 12.30pm

Saturday 22^nd May   Sale   Commences                 10am

• We have a confirmed meeting with the Technical Committee of CHeCS to further discuss a proposal that we have put forward to help encourage IBR management in herds very encouraged by their response to the submission from our very own SVP Angus Stovold
• My attention was brought to a fact that we have no Point-of-sale material for our members of the CAAB scheme should the need any as some was requested job to do list for that one
• Some of you have been on our new way of supplying clothing by visiting the Clothes shop online from the web select your Item, select the size pay on line and it will be posted to your door with a service to rival Amazon!
• Feel free to suggest further additions to the range by e-mailing [email protected]
• We are also pleased to announce a further new appointment to the Pedigree Cattle Service Team, Robert Gilchrist has signed on the dotted line and will join us on the 7^th of June as Breed Development Manager

• Robert brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge of the cattle business to the activity here and will be a keystone to delivering the plan for the next ten years
• Chris Wilkinson our Chair of Marketing Committee put his head above the parapet and fronted a podcast extoling the virtues of Aberdeen Angus to the nation – have a listen here to see what and why Chris chose Aberdeen Angus as his breed of choice when making his decision: https://www.fginsight.com/…/branding-key-to-beef-value…
• Talking Committees – everything this year is running behind schedule council business and Committee proceedings are no exception to that but they are getting underway with a vengeance now
• The Registrations Committee under the Chairmanship of Ian Watson has met on a couple of Occasions to review the system that is becoming so onerous and difficult to manage that we need to change something quickly
• Main point is that 7 years ago 95% of registrations came in and went through to certificates being issued without a problem. As we have moved with new technology and rule changes this has now become les than 60% now doing the same
• We are tackling these problems one by one and good ground is being made and we will see the difference soon.
• Health Shows Sales and Breed Character also met to discuss matters of importance, Marketing is planning a meeting in the next period as well as HR, Finance and the rest of the new structure is coming together
• The 10-year plan continues its refinement but importantly the pressing matters that are currently on the agenda will be attended to first to give a strong foundation for the furtherment of the breed in due course
• A reminder for the members that are involved in exporting Semen and Embryos please contact me, [email protected] with the mating’s and I will arrange the certification for you especially for EU destinations
• The continuation of the process of devolving the membership in the Republic of Ireland is reaching closure a great job done by the presidential team, Kathryn Bradshaw and new General Manager Felicity McGrath
• EU membership will be in Safe hands when the final preparations with Felicities involvement come together and to mention that Breedplan performance Recording is still available to EU and Irish members. Contact [email protected] for details
• We have had a bit of maintenance done on the office with a top to toe carpet clean, new investment is some further IT additions and enhancements to help increase work rates!
• Received a number of enquiries for Export for both live Cattle and also meat from the UK Aberdeen Angus production, 6,000 pedigree heifers may be a big ask for China but who knows without investigating the possibilities or alternative ways to engage!
• Think its not possible? Meet a boat called the Angus Express, dedicated livestock boat and part of a fleet of 10 just like her: https://www.vroon.nl/Files/VesselParticulars/ANGUS%20EXPRESS20200615101529.pdf
• I have now received the BCMS cattle registrations figures for March and can confirm that in the rolling 12 month period from April 2020 – March 2021 we are the highest Pure bred registrations and the highest cross bred registrations in BCMS, confirmation is sought before a press release planned!!
• Phone messages will be updated changing the names to the new members of the team and taking the old options off – I apologise to those who this may have caused some inconvenience
• To all the Show people that are wanting a venue to meet up and show your wares we have a big opportunity. Owing to all potential venues for the Summer National being forced to be cancelled, Westmoreland Show have stepped in with an offer to host the Summer National. The show is being staged over two days in September and if the weather pattern has changed this year to be a later summer it will be brilliant! https://westmorlandshow.co.uk/
• Further details, schedule and entry forms will be out soon for you but let us make the Summer National one to be remembered as a spectacular showcase of everything that is good about Aberdeen Angus!
• The next couple of weeks will be full of more of the same above with a focus on Committee Meetings and moving business forward as well as the resumption of full scale shows and sales
• Thanks again for all those members enquiring about the hip, its fine but pulled my back lifting a box so nae luck at the moment. Went to Chiropractor to get it sorted the assessment showed me a lot of errors in my ways that are not helping me now
• I am therefore hatching a plan to do something about it which may well require a bit of encouragement from the membership whilst perhaps raising a few quid for a charity that is especially valuable in rural areas!! Next time I will reveal more.
• This is a summary of what is happening at the Society over the past couple of weeks but by no means all of matters that pass across my table daily
• Leaves me to wish you a continued good lambing and calving some rain for those who are too dry, some sun for those who are too wet and a flourish of grass to make them all grow!

Barrie L. Turner

CEO

Finance matters from Angela Cumming

MONTH END

• Statements were sent out at the end of April.  If you have any outstanding invoices, prompt payment would be very much appreciated.

2021 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP

• A kindly reminder that membership for 2021 is due to be paid, if not already done so.

You can pay by either cheque, internet banking or credit card.  Please do not forget to quote your membership number when making payments.

RECEIVING SOCIETY INVOICES BY EMAIL

• In order to try and save on postage costs we would like to send our invoices by email.  If you have not already done so, can you please provide us with your details?

RECEIVING SOCIETY INVOICES BY EMAIL

To try and save on postage costs we would like to send our invoices by email.  If you would like to receive your invoices by this method, then please provide Angela with the following details.

MEMBERSHIP NAME……………………………………………………………………….

MEMBERSHIP NUMBER………………………………………………………………….

EMAIL ADDRESS………………………………………………………………………………

(of the person receiving our invoices)

Please email these details to: [email protected]

Alternatively, complete and return to:

Angela Cumming, The Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society, Pedigree House, 6 King’s Place,

Perth. PH2 8AD.

Thank you.